Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Forces have joined firefighting operations in western prefectures Okayama and Ehime, with evacuations ordered for nearly 2,700 local residents, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Monday.
"Yesterday, wildfires broke out in Okayama City and Imabari, Ehime Prefecture. [...] Along with local firefighters, helicopters from the Ground Self-Defense Forces were sent to help after governors of both prefectures requested assistance," Hayashi said at a press conference.
Evacuation has been ordered for 403 families, or 893 people, in Okayama City; 219 families, or 381 people, in Imabari; and 792 families, or 1,506 people, in the Saijo City of the Ehime Prefecture, according to the official.
Japan's last major wildfire burned for 12 days in Ofunato, a city in the northeastern Iwate Prefecture, destroying around 3,000 hectares - about 9% of the city's total area, while authorities ordered 4,500 people to evacuate, reports said. At least one person was reportedly killed, with over 200 buildings damaged.